The Austrian public broadcaster ORF plans an HD version of its second national channel, ORF 2. The news was announced by the facilities company ORS during the TV 09 Roadshow, which is currently touring the country.
“Since the Euro 08 football championship ORF 1 is fully produced in HD. ORF 2 is now also in the planning for this production standard”, said Günter Pateisky. No exact launch date was announced.
Satellite is the main distribution channel for TV programmes in the country, with 53% of all viewers (1.62 million) watching DTH satellite, according to Wolfgang Elsäßer, MD, Astra Deutschland. Of these satellite homes, 90% are now digital.
In addition to ORF 2 HD, viewers in Austria can also look forward to the new HD channel Servus TV HD, which will start on October 1. Programming will be free-to-air on the Astra satellite at 19 degrees East and consist of sports, documentaries, arts and more.
